Flagrant Immorality, Remorse, and Stocking Stuffers
by The BlueEyed Fool
Summary: This is a missing moment to P.S. Murry Christmas.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: this story would not have been possible with out SingerMe, who graciously gave me the plot to this Missing Moment, thank you my friend. Murry Christmas.

**MK**

Kitty sat down heavily in the chair at the small table in her office, after Emma Grundy, and Judge Brooker left her office. She looked disconsolately down at Emma's account book, as a rotten feeling settled in her stomach. Kitty felt awful for setting Emma up the way she did as she started thumbing through the pages of the book. Kitty slowly closed her eyes and shook her head thinking that if she hadn't been so quick to judge Emma things wouldn't be such a mess. Here Emma had trusted Kitty enough to share the truth of how much she struggled to fed, cloth, and house the children, and Kitty had inadvertently betrayed that trust.

Kitty knew she wasn't directly responsible for the orphaned children, but she still felt like she was now because without her interference Emma would still be in charge of making sure those children had something far more important than just a Christmas party. Looking at the books again, Kitty decided to see if she could fix what she had done. Kitty turned and looked at Titus, who was still standing in the doorway. "Titus could you come over here there is something I want to show you." Titus took a seat next to Kitty at the table, and Kitty carefully explained why Emma could not give the children a Christmas.

"By gum and here I thought ol' Emmy was just cold hearted. I sure feel awful about what I said to her, and taking the children." Titus commented with remorse.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Titus. Emma didn't share this information with anyone."

"Exceptin' you Miss Russell, and I thank you kindly for telling me. It seems that the children and I owe Emmy a big apology."

"Well Titus, I have done more damage then that. I have cost Emma her job."

"Miss Kitty that Judge Brooker seems like a nice enough fellow. I'm sure once you talk to him you can straighten every thing out."

"I intend to do just that Titus, but first you and I need to talk to the children."

"Yeah they need to apologize to Emma too, and they ain't gonna do that less'n they know the whole story."

"Exactly. So I want you to round up the children and meet me at Doc's, okay?"

"Right away, Miss Kitty."

As soon as Titus left the office Kitty quickly grabbed Emma's papers and book, donned her red cape and headed out the door.

Kitty clutched her cape tightly and bowed her head against the cold as she hurried down the board walk towards the jail. She only got a few steps when she literally ran into Matt who was coming out of Lathrop's the general store.

"Whoa, there Kitty where are you off to in such a hurry?" Matt asked as he grabbed ahold of Kitty to keep from knocking her down.

"Oooof. Oh Matt! I was just coming to see you."

Matt saw the worry written across Kitty's face. "What's wrong, Kitty?"

Kitty looked around to see who was near them. "I think we better have this conversation in your office," and she started walking towards the jail with Matt right behind her.

"You did what?!" Matt growled as he towered over Kitty, who was sitting across from him at the table with Emma's books open in front of her. Matt took a deep breath to calm himself. "Kitty didn't you promise me that you wouldn't interfere?"

Kitty stood up and placed her palms flat on the table top and leaned towards Matt. "I promised you that no women's vigilante groups would try and take the kids away from Emma and they didn't!" Realizing that she was letting herself get worked up, Kitty took a slow breath. "Look Matt, these kids have no family and I felt they deserved to at least have a Christmas."

"But at the cost of Miss Grundy being removed? Was giving those kids a Christmas worth that, Kitty?"

Matt's words struck Kitty hard. "Of course not!" Kitty fought to keep tears from forming in her eyes. "What I did was wrong, I acted without having all the facts. I now know that Emma has been doing the best she could to provide for those kids with the meager amount of money she is given to do it with." Kitty walked around the table and stood next to Matt, placing her hand on his upper arm. "I am trying to correct that mistake Matt, and I would like your help."

Seeing the hint of tears shimmer in Kitty's eyes took all the bluster out of Matt. "What would you like me to do?" Matt asked as he wrapped his arms around Kitty.

Kitty have Matt a quick hug, "Would you be willing to send a wire to some important people in Topeka that would help the orphanage to improve it's funding?"

Matt gave Kitty a huge smile, "Of course I will."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Now that Kitty had enlisted Matt to help her, she was on her way to see Judge Brooker about getting Emma her job back. Kitty shifted Emma's satchel in her arms so she could knock on the entrance to Judge Brooker's home. As her knock went unanswered, Kitty raised her hand to knock again, when the door came open. Judge Charles Brooker stood in the doorway looking gobsmacked. "Miss Russell?"

"I apologize for turning up at your door unannounced on Christmas Eve Judge Brooker, but I was hoping to have a word with you about Emma Grundy."

Brooker gave an exasperated look before slightly shaking his head. "Come on in."

Kitty gave him a grateful smile, "Thank you Judge."

Brooker closed the door behind him. "Don't thank me yet, Miss Russell."

Kitty didn't even bother to take her cape off and walked right over to the side table by the door, placed the the satchel down, pulled out the account book and opened it. "Judge Brooker, this is Miss Grundy's account book for the orphanage," she began. A half an hour later, Kitty had finished explaining how Emma was having to run the orphanage from hand to mouth.

Brooker stood with his arms folded in front of him, "That's all very well and good Miss Russell, but what does that matter now?"

Kitty straightened her shoulders. "I made a terrible assumption about Emma Grundy today, Judge. I thought she didn't care about the children in her charge. I let my misguided anger at the fact that Miss Grundy refused to let the children have a Christmas move me to purposefully trick Emma into drinking that Brandy so you would deliberately see her flagrant immorality. Judge Brooker, Emma Grundy takes the care and well being of those children very seriously, and her account books prove that. I'm hoping that you can see it in your heart to forget what happened in my office today, and forget having a hearing so Emma Grundy can keep her job as head mistress of the orphanage. I'm willing to beg if I have to Judge Brooker."

Judge Brooker stood quietly for a long time thinking over everything Kitty had just disclosed to him before making his decision. "I thank you for your very frank honesty Miss Russell, and I hope you realize that Miss Grundy, should she decide to, could bring you up on charges of entrapment."

Kitty's eye went slightly wide for a moment at that fact. "I wouldn't blame her if she does, and I will fully admit to my guilt in the matter when she does, Judge."

Judge Brooker rocked back on his heels as he rubbed his chin. " You are taking a big risk tonight coming here and confessing that you willfully lured Miss Grundy into being flagrantly immoral for the express purpose of having her removed as head mistress. All so that the children can have a Christmas party. I must say Miss Russell, your heart is certainly in the right place regardless of how misguided your actions were this afternoon." Kitty bowed her head slightly. "But, given that it is nearly Christmas, and in the spirit of good will I will forget that I was ever in your office this afternoon and there will be no hearing."

Kitty's eyes lit up. "Thank you so much Charles."

"Don't thank me yet, Kitty. It's up to you to see that Miss Grundy doesn't hand in her resignation."

Kitty quickly put Emma's account book away, and straighten her shoulders. "I intend to take care of that right away, Judge."

Judge Brooker walked Kitty to the door and opened it for her. "I wish you the best of luck with that Kitty. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Judge Brooker." Kitty stepped down off the landing. "And thank you," she called to him as she headed out to fix thing with Emma.

Kitty was about to knock on Emma Grundy's door, when the door came open and there stood all the children with Emma.

Emma had a surprised look on her face as she saw Kitty in the hallway, "Oh! Good evening Miss Russell."

Kitty heard a faint coolness in Emma's voice, and braced herself. "I... I brought you your papers. You left them in my office." Emma started to shake her head but Kitty continued. "I understand that you may not want to see me right now after what I did to you. I've come to apologize for that."

Emma looked at the children who stood around them. "Children please go get your things, and I will come get you after Miss Russell and I talk." The children muttered around of 'yes ma'am' and left for their rooms. After the children were gone Emma motioned Kitty into her room and closed the door.

Kitty walked over to Emma's desk and sat the satchel down noticing, and picking up the letter that Emma had been writing that had yet to be signed. Holding the letter in her hand Kitty turned and looked at Emma. "Emma what I did to you was terrible, and I am ashamed of myself. But please don't turn in your resignation." Kitty held the letter out to Emma and she slowly took the letter out of Kitty's hand. "I just came from seeing Judge Brooker, and I told him everything that you have had to do to keep the orphanage running. He promised me that the whole matter from my office today has been forgotten. You have done an amazing job taking care of the children to the point I don't think anyone else in your place would have done as much as you have done. Emma these children need you to continue as their head mistress."

Emma looked at the children behind her for a moment before addressing Kitty. "That was very gracious of you Miss Kitty, however I am not one to go back on my word."

"Please Emma, I am begging you for the sake of the children for you to reconsider and continue being their head mistress. The Marshal and I are looking into getting you the additional funds you need to run the orphanage, and if I have my way there will be enough left over so that the children will always have a Christmas."

Emma stared at Kitty for a few moments before speaking. "I will need some time to think over your request, Miss Russell. I will let you know what I have decided."

Kitty swallowed the lump in her throat. "Of course."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Late that night after the Christmas party, Kitty was curled up in Matt's arms on her settee with a contented smile on her face. The children had finally got their Christmas, and had a wonderful time. Emma had accepted Kitty's apology, and was going to stay on has the orphanage's head mistress. Emma even agreed to take Titus back on as the orphanage handy man. By the end of the party Matt had received a reply back from the wires he sent to Topeka, and a very prominent Senator for the state, that owed Matt a favor, had secured adequate funding for the orphanage so that Emma would never have to run the orphanage from hand to mouth again. With that thought Kitty reached up and kissed Matt on the cheek.

Matt gave a soft chuckle, "What's that for?"

"I'm showing you my appreciation for your help with the funding for the orphanage." Kitty replied making her voice low and sexy.

Matt shifted a bit and pulled Kitty on to his lap and gave her a warm deep kiss that left Kitty a bit breathless. Kitty tried to concentrate as Matt continued to nibble and kiss her neck and behind her ear. "Matt... I... I have... have to.. fill your stocking... it's... almost Christmas," she finally managed to say.

Matt stopped the careful attention he was giving Kitty's neck and stood up with Kitty in his arms. "That will just have to wait. I have some stocking stuffing of my own to do."

Kitty arched an eyebrow and gave a saucy smile. "You certainly do know how to stuff a stocking, cowboy."

Fin~


End file.
